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RF Report -That's Not a Pizza, That's a Disc Full of Lies
12 years ago
I really wanted to return to Rainfurrest this year to commemorate Tremelo's first anniversary, but I also wanted to return for another reason: I was miserable at Rainfurrest in 2012.
Wait, what?
It certainly wasn't the fault of the con itself (it seemed to be run awesomely) or the city of Seattle (it couldn't have been a more beautiful weekend) or the people there (they seemed very nice). It pretty much came down to not being in the right mindset to be there. When it came to wearing my suit for the first time I was terrified. My biggest nightmare about fursuiting was that I'd have a brilliant looking suit but would be about as animated as a dead toad on a rotting log when wearing it. It didn't help that the friend who I'd hoped would serve as my wrangler backed out because (this is true) he found the suit to be too adorable and he feared he might get too affectionate if he was anywhere within 20 feet of me in suit. He only agreed to even look at the suit if I promised not to put any part of it on in his presence.
So yeah, I'd be out there in suit with no wrangler and no confidence and no friends and no prospects and NO HOPE FOR A BETTER TOMORROW AND OH MY GOD WHY DID I COME TO THIS CON BECAUSE I SUCK SO MUCH!?!?
Ahem. Sorry. You get the idea. I spent a lot of RF2012 wandering about downtown Seattle or catching up on books. I owed the con another visit to make things right.
<--->
We stayed at the overflow hotel, the Holiday Inn. All things being equal this would have been a good decision. It was $5 cheaper per night and it came with complimentary breakfast each morning. We're not talking those cheap yogurt/bagels/cereal breakfasts either, we're talking a buffet with scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, potatoes, toast, pancakes, cereal, and fruit. Yeah, yeah, the food was sort of bland and the menu was the exact same every morning, but it was calories. Free, not-particularly healthy calories. It was also an easy way to easily check off part of your 6-2-1 list every morning.
The hotel wasn't too far away either, just a short 5 minute walk outside and a chance for 'suiters to wave at passing cars and to inspire puzzled looks on the faces of those waiting at the popular bus stop between the hotels.
Of course, all things were NOT equal. As Rainfurrest approached the forecast for the weekend changed from perfect to good to damp to dreary to soaking wet.
Go ahead. Make your sarcastic remarks now: 'What did you expect? It's SEATTLE!', or 'Hey, it had RAIN right there in the name!' Yes, rain is always a possibility but this was really nasty rain. This was drops-the-size-of-ping-pong-balls rain. This was knock-out-the-satellite-tv-reception rain. Walking in suit from the Holiday Inn to the Hilton was guaranteed to result in a very, VERY wet suit and an unpleasant experience. Luckily we had friends in the main hotel who were kind enough to let us change in their room on Saturday for the fursuit parade. We only got soaked OUT of suit when shuffling between the two hotels.
<--->
I thought that a long-strawed 1qt water bottle typically used by hockey goalies would be an ideal hydration bottle for fursuits. It wasn't. It was difficult to drink out of and at its size and weight was like lugging along a small pumpkin, something not easily accomplished without using both paws. So the one time I used it I stumbled through the con space, clutching it like it was filled with the ashes of dead relatives. It made it difficult to pose for pictures or interact with anyone in any way other than to gesture ‘Hey, look at my water bottle!’ The ironic thing? In the whole stint with the bottle I didn’t even take a sip from it.
<--->
There's an old joke about furry cons that ’you never go to Denny's, you just end up there.' Rainfurrest may be the exception. One of the few slights of the convention is that there are very, very few restaurant options nearby. There's the pricey hotel restaurants, the upscale 13 Coins, and, well, Denny's. That's about it. Wait, I take that back: the 7/11 at the top of the hill actually sold pizzas. Or something resembling pizzas. The title of this journal was lifted from something I overheard in the elevator and I'm pretty sure it was the 7/11 pizzas that they were talking about.
I'm not proud to admit it, but I 'ended up' at Denny's three times over the course of Rainfurrest.
<--->
I attended several panels over the course of the long weekend, from Kyell Gold reading excerpts from Red Devil to my creator Scribblefox discussing fursuit design to a panel about being an effective spotter to a panel with fursuit performance tips. All of them were informative and/or important. I learned that the fairy tales that Alexei tells are rather short and confusing. I learned that, when it comes to fake furs, there really is only *one* shade of gray. I learned that if you're a spotter taking pictures of fursuiters interacting with children and you don't look professional and don't make it abundantly clear that you are with the fursuiters, you might end up being accused of some pretty creepy behavior. I also learned how to use the mesh part of the inside of my eye to change my expression from sly to shy to happy to aloof. I guess you just had to be there for that one.
<--->
So here’s an uninteresting fact: While the Mariner’s home ballpark, SafeCo field, has a retractable roof, many of the stadium’s walls are still very much open air. I found this out when I escaped the con to catch a Mariner’s/A’s game on Friday night. I did not bring my fursuit (I seriously doubt they would have let me in with it) but I wish I had because it was EFFING COLD!
<--->
In all I got about 8h of suiting in over the course of 3 stints, a quick Thursday night reconnaissance run of the con space, an extended run on Friday where I got my ear tag, and a (sadly) final run on Saturday for the fursuit parade and the OFA photo shoot.
I must confess: I sort of cheated during the parade. Along with another unnamed co-conspirator, I sort of, um, did the parade route twice. It wasn't in the name of self-aggrandizement or vanity, it was, um, to uh, walk for those suits who couldn't walk themselves because the rain had spooked them off. Or something.
<--->
Total number of Strawberry Lemonades consumed: 5
<--->
I attended my first fursuit dance. No, not as a dancer (this cat can’t dance), but simply as a curious observer. I came away very impressed. First, I was impressed that when faced with a fire alarm and subsequent back-to-back-to-back-to-back ‘Evacuate!’ ‘Go back!’ No, really, Evacuate!’ ‘Nah, it’s okay! Go back!’ orders, the hundreds of furries left and re-entered the room in a safe and orderly manner. Then I was actually impressed with the dancers. There was not a bad dancer one them (though I may have a very low bar to clear in that regard). The choices of music spanned from thrash metal to pop to rap to dub step to Smashmouth, whatever that is. And the styles ranged from elegant to frantic to bouncy to something out of the 50s. The only thing not represented was country. I think that’s a gauntlet being thrown there. You heard it dancers, next con I want to see someone dance to a medley of Red Solo Cup and Achy Breaky Heart.
<--->
By the time Sunday rolled around I was ready to go home. There was still plenty to do and see (the fursuit games were awfully fun to watch) but two and a half days of pouring rain and greasy Denny’s food had taken its toll. In the end it was a very good con. Last year the weather was perfect and Tremelo was delivered, but the rest of my con was crap. This year the weather was crap but every other aspect was fun and memorable. I met a lot of new people, learned some new things and most importantly had fun.
But next year I’m bringing an effing umbrella.
Wait, what?
It certainly wasn't the fault of the con itself (it seemed to be run awesomely) or the city of Seattle (it couldn't have been a more beautiful weekend) or the people there (they seemed very nice). It pretty much came down to not being in the right mindset to be there. When it came to wearing my suit for the first time I was terrified. My biggest nightmare about fursuiting was that I'd have a brilliant looking suit but would be about as animated as a dead toad on a rotting log when wearing it. It didn't help that the friend who I'd hoped would serve as my wrangler backed out because (this is true) he found the suit to be too adorable and he feared he might get too affectionate if he was anywhere within 20 feet of me in suit. He only agreed to even look at the suit if I promised not to put any part of it on in his presence.
So yeah, I'd be out there in suit with no wrangler and no confidence and no friends and no prospects and NO HOPE FOR A BETTER TOMORROW AND OH MY GOD WHY DID I COME TO THIS CON BECAUSE I SUCK SO MUCH!?!?
Ahem. Sorry. You get the idea. I spent a lot of RF2012 wandering about downtown Seattle or catching up on books. I owed the con another visit to make things right.
<--->
We stayed at the overflow hotel, the Holiday Inn. All things being equal this would have been a good decision. It was $5 cheaper per night and it came with complimentary breakfast each morning. We're not talking those cheap yogurt/bagels/cereal breakfasts either, we're talking a buffet with scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, potatoes, toast, pancakes, cereal, and fruit. Yeah, yeah, the food was sort of bland and the menu was the exact same every morning, but it was calories. Free, not-particularly healthy calories. It was also an easy way to easily check off part of your 6-2-1 list every morning.
The hotel wasn't too far away either, just a short 5 minute walk outside and a chance for 'suiters to wave at passing cars and to inspire puzzled looks on the faces of those waiting at the popular bus stop between the hotels.
Of course, all things were NOT equal. As Rainfurrest approached the forecast for the weekend changed from perfect to good to damp to dreary to soaking wet.
Go ahead. Make your sarcastic remarks now: 'What did you expect? It's SEATTLE!', or 'Hey, it had RAIN right there in the name!' Yes, rain is always a possibility but this was really nasty rain. This was drops-the-size-of-ping-pong-balls rain. This was knock-out-the-satellite-tv-reception rain. Walking in suit from the Holiday Inn to the Hilton was guaranteed to result in a very, VERY wet suit and an unpleasant experience. Luckily we had friends in the main hotel who were kind enough to let us change in their room on Saturday for the fursuit parade. We only got soaked OUT of suit when shuffling between the two hotels.
<--->
I thought that a long-strawed 1qt water bottle typically used by hockey goalies would be an ideal hydration bottle for fursuits. It wasn't. It was difficult to drink out of and at its size and weight was like lugging along a small pumpkin, something not easily accomplished without using both paws. So the one time I used it I stumbled through the con space, clutching it like it was filled with the ashes of dead relatives. It made it difficult to pose for pictures or interact with anyone in any way other than to gesture ‘Hey, look at my water bottle!’ The ironic thing? In the whole stint with the bottle I didn’t even take a sip from it.
<--->
There's an old joke about furry cons that ’you never go to Denny's, you just end up there.' Rainfurrest may be the exception. One of the few slights of the convention is that there are very, very few restaurant options nearby. There's the pricey hotel restaurants, the upscale 13 Coins, and, well, Denny's. That's about it. Wait, I take that back: the 7/11 at the top of the hill actually sold pizzas. Or something resembling pizzas. The title of this journal was lifted from something I overheard in the elevator and I'm pretty sure it was the 7/11 pizzas that they were talking about.
I'm not proud to admit it, but I 'ended up' at Denny's three times over the course of Rainfurrest.
<--->
I attended several panels over the course of the long weekend, from Kyell Gold reading excerpts from Red Devil to my creator Scribblefox discussing fursuit design to a panel about being an effective spotter to a panel with fursuit performance tips. All of them were informative and/or important. I learned that the fairy tales that Alexei tells are rather short and confusing. I learned that, when it comes to fake furs, there really is only *one* shade of gray. I learned that if you're a spotter taking pictures of fursuiters interacting with children and you don't look professional and don't make it abundantly clear that you are with the fursuiters, you might end up being accused of some pretty creepy behavior. I also learned how to use the mesh part of the inside of my eye to change my expression from sly to shy to happy to aloof. I guess you just had to be there for that one.
<--->
So here’s an uninteresting fact: While the Mariner’s home ballpark, SafeCo field, has a retractable roof, many of the stadium’s walls are still very much open air. I found this out when I escaped the con to catch a Mariner’s/A’s game on Friday night. I did not bring my fursuit (I seriously doubt they would have let me in with it) but I wish I had because it was EFFING COLD!
<--->
In all I got about 8h of suiting in over the course of 3 stints, a quick Thursday night reconnaissance run of the con space, an extended run on Friday where I got my ear tag, and a (sadly) final run on Saturday for the fursuit parade and the OFA photo shoot.
I must confess: I sort of cheated during the parade. Along with another unnamed co-conspirator, I sort of, um, did the parade route twice. It wasn't in the name of self-aggrandizement or vanity, it was, um, to uh, walk for those suits who couldn't walk themselves because the rain had spooked them off. Or something.
<--->
Total number of Strawberry Lemonades consumed: 5
<--->
I attended my first fursuit dance. No, not as a dancer (this cat can’t dance), but simply as a curious observer. I came away very impressed. First, I was impressed that when faced with a fire alarm and subsequent back-to-back-to-back-to-back ‘Evacuate!’ ‘Go back!’ No, really, Evacuate!’ ‘Nah, it’s okay! Go back!’ orders, the hundreds of furries left and re-entered the room in a safe and orderly manner. Then I was actually impressed with the dancers. There was not a bad dancer one them (though I may have a very low bar to clear in that regard). The choices of music spanned from thrash metal to pop to rap to dub step to Smashmouth, whatever that is. And the styles ranged from elegant to frantic to bouncy to something out of the 50s. The only thing not represented was country. I think that’s a gauntlet being thrown there. You heard it dancers, next con I want to see someone dance to a medley of Red Solo Cup and Achy Breaky Heart.
<--->
By the time Sunday rolled around I was ready to go home. There was still plenty to do and see (the fursuit games were awfully fun to watch) but two and a half days of pouring rain and greasy Denny’s food had taken its toll. In the end it was a very good con. Last year the weather was perfect and Tremelo was delivered, but the rest of my con was crap. This year the weather was crap but every other aspect was fun and memorable. I met a lot of new people, learned some new things and most importantly had fun.
But next year I’m bringing an effing umbrella.
I definatly wana go one year
I herd both positives and negatives about the con
Positives
+ Right across the street from the airport. No need for rental car or taxi or even hotel shuttle.
+ GREAT con space. Big convention area and multiple areas to hang out and socialize
+ Weather - Even on the one sunny, dry dray the temps were only in the mid 60s, so it was awesome weather for fursuiting outside
+ LOTS of programming. Fursuits! Art! Writing! Games!
+ Light rail stop right across the street. For less than three bucks you can take a trip to downtown Seattle in about 30 minutes.
Negatives
- Not a lot of restaurants or shops in the immediate area of the con hotel. There's a 7/11 but aside from that no drug stores (Walgreens, CVS) or fast foot places within a short walk
- The weather. If it rains. Otherwise this is not a negative :)
- Um... Um... Well... I guess they didn't let me attend the con for free? That's sort of a negative? (though it's also not practical :) )
This of course cannot account for things that will vary from person to person (like how many people you know who will be there, or length of time it takes to get there, etc)
Was fun listening to the presentation and thinking 'Oooh, I know what suit they're talking about now!' (Well, at least I THOUGHT I knew :) ) Was also able to recall how the progression of my suit and how there were trade offs between character and suit :)
Keep up the good work, guys!